Method, device and capsule for brewing a beverage

ABSTRACT

A method of preparing a tea beverage in a brewing device is provided, the device comprising an infusion chamber with a bottom rim which defines an opening; a capsule holder for receiving a capsule, the capsule holder comprising a filter and an openable and closable passage; the method comprising: inserting a capsule into the capsule holder; connecting the capsule holder to the infusion chamber; introducing liquid into the capsule so that the liquid and tea material mix and flow into the infusion chamber and brew the beverage; and then opening the passage to allow the beverage to flow from the infusion chamber through the filter and out through the passage. A capsule containing tea material for use in the method is also provided, the capsule comprising a body part, which is a single, impermeable piece which defines a cavity with a volume of from 10 to 24 cm 3 .

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method, a device and a capsule forbrewing a beverage. In particular, the invention relates to infusedtea-based beverages that are brewed in a device having an infusionchamber.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Beverages such as tea and coffee are usually prepared in the home usingground coffee, tea bags or loose-leaf tea. However, the long brewingtime required and the mess that is produced are inconvenient. Thereforebrewing devices have been devised which provide a convenient, rapid andconsumer-friendly way of brewing such beverages. The beverage materialis typically provided in a single use capsule or other container whichis disposed of after brewing the beverage. For coffee beverages thecapsule itself typically functions as the brewing chamber,

The volume of the capsule is normally less than that of the finalbeverage, so it is necessary for the brewing water to flow through thecapsule. This is achieved by having a filter in the capsule so that thebrewed beverage can be dispensed whilst the beverage material isretained, and is disposed of together with the capsule.

This method, however, is not well-suited for brewing tea, as tea leavesrequire a larger volume in which to infuse. Therefore devices forbrewing tea have been designed which have a separate, larger infusionchamber. For example, WO 2007/042485 discloses a device for preparing aninfused beverage, having an infusion container for containing liquid. Acartridge containing tea leaves is introduced into a cavity in thedevice. The bottom part of the cartridge comprises a liquid-permeablefilter. The infusion container and the cavity communicate with eachother, so that when liquid is poured into the infusion container itflows to the cartridge. The tea leaves are thus immersed in the liquidand infusion takes place. After infusion has taken place, a passagecommunicating with the cavity is opened to let the infused liquid flowfrom the infusion container through the cavity and through the filter ofthe cartridge to the passage. The spent tea leaves are collected in thecartridge and are removed from the cavity together with the cartridge.Whilst the infusion chamber allows space for tea leaves to infuse, thismethod has a number of disadvantages. In particular the cartridge mustfirstly provide sufficient area for the filter to allow the beverage tobe dispensed in a short time once brewing has taken place, and secondlyhave sufficient volume to contain the spent tea leaves which swellduring infusion, typically to around four times their dry volume. Thusthe cartridge has to be relatively large. It also has to be sufficientlystrong to support the weight of the spent tea leaves when it is removedfrom the device. Thus a substantial amount of material (e.g. plastic) isrequired to make the capsule. Furthermore, the capsule body and filterare typically made from different materials, so the capsule cannot beeasily recycled. These are both undesirable from the point of view ofcost and also environmental impact. Hence it is an object of the presentinvention to overcome these disadvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves these problems by locating the filter inthe capsule holder rather than in the capsule. Accordingly, in a firstaspect, the present invention provides a method of preparing a tea-basedbeverage in a brewing device, the device comprising:

-   -   an infusion chamber with a bottom rim which defines an opening;    -   a capsule holder for receiving a capsule, the capsule holder        comprising a sidewall having an upper rim, a filter and an        openable and closable passage on the opposite side of the filter        from the upper rim;

the method comprising the steps of:

-   -   a) inserting a capsule containing tea material into the capsule        holder;    -   b) connecting the upper rim of the capsule holder to the bottom        rim of the infusion chamber;    -   c) introducing liquid into the capsule and releasing the tea        material from the capsule so that the liquid and tea material        mix and flow into the infusion chamber so as to brew the        beverage;    -   d) after brewing has taken place, opening the passage in the        capsule holder to allow the beverage to flow from the infusion        chamber through the filter and out through the passage.

In a second aspect the invention provides a brewing device, the devicecomprising

-   -   an infusion chamber with a bottom rim which defines an opening;    -   a capsule holder for receiving a capsule, the capsule holder        comprising a sidewall having an upper rim, a filter and an        openable and closable passage on the opposite side of the filter        from the upper rim;    -   means for moving the capsule holder and/or the infusion chamber        so that the upper rim of the capsule holder is connected to the        bottom rim of the infusion chamber;    -   means for introducing liquid into the capsule so that the liquid        and tea material can mix and flow into the infusion chamber so        as to brew a beverage; and    -   a valve for opening the passage in the capsule holder to allow        the beverage to flow from the infusion chamber through the        filter and out through the passage.

In a third aspect, the invention provides a capsule for use in a brewingdevice, the capsule comprising:

-   -   a body part, which defines a cavity,    -   a lid which is attached to the body part, and    -   tea material enclosed within the capsule,

wherein the volume of the cavity is from 10 to 24 cm³ and wherein thebody part is a single, impermeable piece.

In a preferred embodiment of the third aspect, the capsule comprises:

-   -   a body part, which defines a cavity and which has a flange,    -   a lid which is attached to the flange, and    -   tea material enclosed within the capsule,

wherein the volume of the cavity is from 10 to 24 cm³ and wherein thebody part is a single, impermeable piece.

In a fourth aspect, the invention provides the use of capsule of thethird aspect of the invention for preparing a beverage.

By having the filter in the capsule holder rather than in the capsule,the capsule holder can perform the many of the functions performed inthe prior art by the capsule, and thus the functionality required of thecapsule is significantly reduced. Firstly, since the beverage isfiltered through the capsule holder, there is no need for the capsule tocontain a filter or provide sufficient area for the filter; there isalso no need to puncture or otherwise open the capsule on two oppositesides. Secondly, there is no need for the capsule to hold the spent tealeaves. Thirdly, the capsule does not need to form a water-tightconnection with the infusion chamber. In fact, the capsule is immersedin the brewing liquid. Thus the capsule can be much simpler, smaller andcan have thinner walls since it only needs to be large enough and strongenough to contain the dry tea leaves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein the term “tea material” refers to tea plant material,herb plant material or a mixture thereof. For the avoidance of doubt,the term “tea material” does not include coffee material. The term “teaplant material” refers to leaf, bud and/or stem material from Camelliasinensis var. sinensis and/or Camellia sinensis var. assamica. The teaplant material may be substantially fermented (i.e. black tea),partially fermented (i.e. oolong tea) or substantially unfermented (i.e.green tea or white tea). It may also be a blend of one or more of theaforementioned tea plant materials. Other ingredients which are commonlyused to flavour leaf tea products may also be combined with the teaplant material (e.g. bergamot, citrus peel and the like). The term “herbplant material” refers to material which is commonly used as a precursorfor herbal infusions. Preferably the herb plant material is selectedfrom chamomile, cinnamon, elderflower, ginger, hibiscus, jasmine,lavender, lemongrass, mint, rooibos (obtained from Aspalathus linearis),rosehip, vanilla and verbena. The tea material may additionally comprisefruit pieces (e.g. apple, blackcurrant, mango, peach, pineapple,raspberry, strawberry etc).

Preferably the tea material is dried and has a moisture content of lessthan 30 wt %, more preferably less than 20 wt % and most preferably from0.1 to 10 wt %. Preferably the tea material particles have a size (i.e.longest diameter) of from about 2 to about 10 mm, preferably 3 to 7 mm.

The term “beverage” refers to a substantially aqueous drinkablecomposition which is suitable for human consumption. Preferably thebeverage comprises at least 85% water by weight of the beverage, morepreferably at least 90% and most preferably from 95 to 99.9%. Preferablythe beverage comprises from 0.04 to 3%, more preferably from 0.06 to 2%,most preferably from 0.1 to 1% by weight tea solids.

The term “brewing” refers to the addition of a liquid, particularly hotwater, to tea material, so that steeping or soaking the tea material inthe liquid releases soluble substances into the liquid (e.g. flavourand/or aroma molecules) thereby to form a beverage. Brewing may becarried out at any temperature, but preferably in the range of 80 to 95°C.

The term “infusion chamber” means a vessel in which infusion of teamaterial takes place, and which is large enough both to allow the teamaterial to move around in the liquid during infusion, and also tocontain a substantial part (i.e. at least 50%) of the volume of thefinal beverage. The term “infusion chamber” therefore does not refer tocapsules inside which brewing takes place, as is typically the case incoffee machines.

The term “capsule” refers to a rigid or semi-rigid container in whichtea material is or may be packaged, for example a capsule, cartridge,pod, or the like.

The present invention will now be described with reference to thefigures, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a brewing device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the main functional components ofthe device.

FIG. 3 shows the device of FIG. 1 with the capsule holder in its loweredposition.

FIG. 4 shows the device as in FIG. 3, now with a capsule inserted intothe capsule holder.

FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment of the capsule holder removed from thedevice,

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the capsule holder removed from thedevice, and containing a capsule.

FIG. 7 shows (a) a side view of a capsule, (b) a perspective view of acapsule without a lid and (c) with a lid,

FIG. 8 shows views from above of capsules having various generallyelliptical shaped flanges.

FIG. 9 shows the manifold of the infusion chamber with an opening memberfor opening the lid of the capsule.

FIG. 1 shows one non-limiting embodiment of a brewing device accordingto the invention. The device 1 has a casing 2 with a front side 3 and arear side 4. An infusion chamber 10 and a capsule holder 20 are locatedat the front side of the device. The infusion chamber 10 has a bottomrim 12 which defines an opening in its lower side. The infusion chambermay have an opening in its top side which is covered with a removablelid 15, or it may be constructed as a vessel without an opening in itstop side. The capsule holder 20 is designed to receive a capsule. It islocated in a support 6 and preferably has a handle 22. The capsuleholder is preferably substantially circular when viewed from above,which provides for easy cleaning since there are no corners in which tealeaves could become trapped.

In FIG. 1, the capsule holder 20 is shown in position for brewing, i.e.so that the upper rim 23 of the capsule holder is in water-tight contactwith the bottom rim 12 of the infusion chamber 10. The infusion chamber10 is supported and held in place by a manifold (not shown). A waterreservoir, heater, and pump (not shown) are located inside the rear 4 ofthe casing. At the bottom of the front side 3 of the casing there is atray 8 on which a cup 9 is placed when the beverage is dispensed. Adispensing spout 7 is positioned beneath the capsule holder.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the main functional components ofthe device. Water from the reservoir 50 is fed to the infusion chamber10 via a water filter 52, a water pump 54, a heater 56 and a valve 57.The heater is preferably a flow-though heater. The valve 57 controls theroute the water takes between the heater 56 and the infusion chamber 10.For example, the water may firstly be pumped to the infusion chamber 10via the capsule 30 in order to brew a beverage 60. Subsequently, thevalve 57 can re-direct the water such that it enters the brewing chamber10 via a rinse head 18 in order to rinse and/or clean the brewingchamber 10. There may also be an air pump 58 which can pump air to theinfusion chamber, for example via the capsule 30 which is located in thecapsule holder 20, or via the capsule holder itself. The spout 7, cup 9and tray 8 are located beneath the capsule holder 20.

FIG. 3 shows the device of FIG. 1 with the capsule holder 20 lowered sothat its upper rim 23 is separated from the bottom rim 12 of theinfusion chamber. The capsule holder 20 is preferably removable from thesupport 6 so that a capsule can be easily inserted, and also for ease ofcleaning. FIG. 4 shows the device with a capsule 30 inserted into thecapsule holder 20, which is in the lowered position,

FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of a capsule holder removed from the device:(a) in a perspective view and (b) in cross-section. The capsule holder20 has a sidewall 24 with an upper rim 23 and a base 26. For ease ofcleaning, it is important that the capsule holder does not have cornersor gaps in which tea leaves can become trapped. Therefore the sidewall24 is preferably circular when viewed from above. A filter 25 is locatedinside the capsule holder. One or more protrusions 28 on the inside ofthe sidewall 24 and/or the base 26 support the capsule 30 above thefilter 25. The capsule does not cover the whole of the area inside theupper rim of the capsule holder, so that there is a route for the brewedbeverage to pass from the infusion chamber to the filter. Beneath thefilter 25 is a passage 29 through which the beverage flows duringdispensing and which is closed by a drain valve 21 during brewing. Thefilter preferably consists of a fine mesh made, for example, ofstainless steel, nylon, polyester or PTFE. The mesh size must besufficiently small to catch small pieces of tea material but largeenough to ensure that draining is not too slow. Preferably, the meshsize is from 100 to 500 microns, more preferably 150 to 300 microns.Preferably the filter (when in its normal position in the device) isinclined to the horizontal at an angle of from 5 to 45°, preferably from10 to 30°, such as about 20°. Having the filter at an angle to thehorizontal has two advantages: firstly it presents a larger surfacearea, and hence increases the speed of draining. Secondly tea materialcollects at the bottom of the sloped filter while leaving the upper partclear of tea material so that the beverage drains freely through it.

FIG. 6 shows perspective views of a second embodiment of the capsuleholder 20 which consists of two separable parts, a receptacle 70 and astrainer 72. FIG. 6(a) shows the capsule holder when assembled with acapsule 30 in place, and FIG. 6(b) shows the capsule, strainer andreceptacle separated.

The receptacle 70 has a sidewall 24 and a base 26. Again, the sidewallis preferably circular when viewed from above. Located in the base 26 isa passage 29 through which the beverage flows during dispensing andwhich is closed by a drain valve (not shown) during brewing. Thereceptacle 70 has a handle 22,

The strainer 72 has a base 73, a rim 74 and a handle 75. One or moreprotrusions 78, such as a shelf on the inside of the rim 74, support thecapsule 30 and hold it in place above the base. At least part of thebase 73 is made up of a filter 25. In the preferred embodiment shown,the part of the base 73 which is located underneath the capsule is solidwhilst the rest of the base consists of the filter. The solid part mayalso serve to support the capsule. The filter preferably consists of afine mesh made, for example, of stainless steel, nylon, polyester orPTFE. The mesh size must be sufficiently small to catch small pieces oftea material but large enough to ensure that draining is not too slow.Preferably, the mesh size is from 100 to 500 microns, more preferably150 to 300 microns.

As shown in FIG. 6(a), in use the strainer 72 rests on the receptacleand is supported by the sidewall 24. The rim 74 of the strainer formsthe upper rim 23 of the capsule holder 20. The strainer covers the wholeof the top of the receptacle 70, so that liquid cannot pass between therim 74 of the strainer and the sidewall 24 of the receptacle, and hencecan only enter the receptacle 70 by passing through the filter. Thefilter prevents spent tea leaves from entering the receptacle 70.Preferably the rim 74 is made from an elastomeric material. Thereby itis in effect a gasket which forms seals both between the receptacle andthe strainer, and also between the capsule holder and the infusionchamber.

This embodiment has the advantage that the strainer and receptacle canbe easily separated for cleaning. Moreover, in order to empty out spenttea leaves from the capsule holder, it is only necessary to remove thestrainer and tip the spent leaves out from it.

Preferably the handle 75 of the strainer is larger than and overlaps thehandle 22 of the receptacle. When the strainer is located in thereceptacle, the handle 75 of the strainer sits on top of handle 22 ofthe receptacle, as shown in FIG. 6(a). This allows the receptacle andstrainer to be picked up together, by gripping them from above andbelow. Nonetheless, the strainer can be easily removed from thereceptacle by gripping the edges of its handle 75 where it extendsbeyond the handle 22 of the receptacle.

The handle 75 of the strainer may optionally have a projection 77 on itslower side, which rests in a corresponding hollow 79 in the top side ofthe handle 22 of the receptacle. This helps to locate the strainercorrectly with respect to the receptacle. The strainer may optionallyhave a lip (not shown) on its rim, for example located opposite thehandle, which rests in a corresponding notch in the top of the sidewallof the receptacle. This helps to locate the strainer correctly withrespect to the receptacle, and also to support it.

FIG. 7(a) shows a side view of a capsule 30. The capsule comprises abody part 31 and a lid 32. The body part 31 defines a cavity 35 in whichthe tea material 36 is placed. The lid is attached to the body part soas to enclose the tea material 36 within the capsule. The functionalityrequired of the capsule is significantly reduced compared to knowncapsules, because the capsule does not contain a filter. The brewingliquid does not need to enter through one side and exit through theother, so there is no need to puncture or otherwise make an opening inthe body part of the capsule. Thus the construction of the capsule isgreatly simplified. Thus the body part is a single, impermeable pieceand does not contain any means (for example a filter, or an openable orweakened area) for allowing liquid to enter or exit the capsule throughthe body part. The body part is preferably made from plastic oraluminium. It may be formed for example by injection moulding or bythermoforming.

The cavity 35 is preferably generally circular in cross-section, whenviewed from above, as shown in FIG. 7(b). This shape is convenient fromthe point of view of manufacture and also for filling tea material intothe capsule. It also facilitates release of the tea material from thecapsule during brewing, since there are no corners or other areas wherethe tea material could become trapped. “Generally circular” does notrequire that the cavity has an exactly circular cross-section; thus forexample it could have small indents, provided that there are no narrowrecesses in which tea material could become trapped.

The body part preferably comprises a flange 33, and the lid ispreferably attached to the flange, e.g. by heat-sealing, therebyenclosing the tea material. In order to provide sufficient area toattach the lid securely, the flange is preferably at least 3 mm wide.The flange 33 preferably also serves to support the capsule in thecapsule holder by resting on the protrusions on the inside the capsuleholder, described above. Thus the flange is preferably shaped and sizedto match its intended location in the capsule holder.

Since the capsule only needs to be large enough to contain a singleserving of the dry tea material it can be much smaller than knowncapsules. Thus the internal volume of the capsule (i.e. the volume ofthe cavity) is from 10 to 24 cm³, preferably 12 to 19 cm³, mostpreferably from 14 to 18 cm³. Moreover, the capsule only needs to bestrong enough to support dry tea material, and not wet spent teamaterial. Thus the body part of the capsule can also have relativelythin walls.

The reduced capsule size means that the amount of material (e.g.plastic) needed to make the capsule is significantly reduced. This hasenvironmental and cost advantages. Furthermore, the capsule body partcan be more easily recycled because it is made of a single material,unlike typical capsules having a filter. A small capsule also has theadvantage of taking up less space during transport and during storage,for example in a consumer's cupboard.

The cavity must not be so shallow that tea material bounces out of itduring filling. Thus the depth of the cavity is preferably at least 10mm, more preferably at least 13 mm. On the other hand, the cavity mustnot be so deep that it is difficult to remove the tea material from thecapsule at the start of brewing. Thus the depth of the cavity ispreferably at most 20 mm, more preferably at most 18 mm. It is easier toremove the tea material from a cavity with a depth in the upper part ofthis range when the volume of the cavity is also towards the upper endof its range (i.e. when the cavity is not both deep and narrow).

The cross-sectional area and diameter of the cavity are related to therequired volume and depth. Consequently, the diameter of the cavity ispreferably from 30 to 45 mm. The lid, which overlaps with or covers theflange as well as covering the cavity, is therefore preferably fromabout 45 to 60 mm in diameter, more preferably 47 to 58 mm. The lid ispreferably shaped to generally match the shape of the flange.

The lid is preferably made of a thin film, more preferably metallic foilor a laminated foil, most preferably a laminate of aluminium foil andpolyethylene. Preferably the lid has perforations in order to facilitateopening the capsule to inject water and release the tea material, aswill be described below. More preferably the lid 32 has a line ofperforations 34 in the form of a curve, with sections which extendbackwards from the ends of the curve, as shown in FIG. 7(c).Thisconfiguration produces a well-defined opening when the lid is pushedagainst a blunt opening member (described below), which allows the tealeaves to be released from the capsule. The cut:tie ratio of theperforations should be such that they do not burst too easily, forexample during transport, but nonetheless open without requiring toogreat a force. For example, for an aluminium foil/polyethylene laminatelid, a cut:tie ratio of around 1:2 is suitable,

Typically the capsules are provided to the consumer in air-tightsecondary packaging, for example as multipacks containing a plurality ofcapsules (e.g. ten),

The multipacks may contain packages of a single type, or a mixture ofpackages containing different types of tea (e.g. green tea, black tea,herbal tea). Having a perforated lid has a further advantage in thatsome of the tea aroma is released from the tea material inside thecapsule into the space inside the secondary packaging. Thus the consumerobtains the aroma of tea on opening the secondary pack.

In a preferred embodiment, the cavity has a generally circularcross-section, but the flange is elongated, for example it is generallyelliptical in shape, or is defined by two intersecting circular arcs.“Generally elliptical” does not require that the flange is exactlyelliptical. The flange has a radius of curvature that is similar to theradius of the inside of the sidewall 24 of the capsule holder, so thatthe shape of the flange generally corresponds to the shelf. Nonetheless,small variations from an elliptical shape can be accommodated whilstthere is still sufficient overlap between the flange and the shelf tosupport the capsule. Some examples of generally elliptical shapes areshown in FIG. 8. This shape of flange allows the capsule to be supportedby the shelf 78 on the inside of the sidewall of the capsule holder.This avoids the need for supporting ribs or protrusions inside thecapsule holder, which could trap tea leaves, and hinder cleaning. Theratio of the longest diameter of the flange to the shortest diameter ofthe flange is preferably from 1.2:1 to 1.5:1. A minimum ratio of 1.2:1gives plenty of space for the brewed beverage to pass by the capsule,and a maximum ratio of 1.5:1 means that the capsule can be large enoughto contain sufficient tea material, without requiring an excessivelylarge capsule holder. Most preferably the flange of the capsule isdefined by two intersecting circular arcs each having a radius ofcurvature (R) which is substantially half of the internal diameter (D)of the capsule holder, as shown in FIG. 8(b). This shape of flangecorresponds to the shelf 78 on the inside of the sidewall of the capsuleholder. In this embodiment, the shape of the lid is preferably alsodefined by two intersecting circular arcs, but with truncated ends 38,as shown in FIG. 7(c). The length of the lid between the two truncatedends is from 47 to 58 mm, and the maximum width of the lid is from 45 to50 mm.

The capsule is symmetrical (in particular it has 180° rotationalsymmetry about a vertical axis). There are preferably two sets ofperforations in the lid, arranged symmetrically, as shown in FIG. 7(c),so that the capsule can be placed in the capsule holder in either of twoorientations.

In a preferred embodiment, the body part of the capsule is transparent,so that the tea material inside the capsule is visible. This isattractive to the consumer, and also has the advantage that the contentscan be inspected for quality control purposes after filling usingoptical means, rather than, for example, by weight.

In use, the device functions as follows. With the capsule holder in itslowered position, the user removes the capsule holder from the support,or in the second embodiment of the capsule holder shown in FIG. 6, theuser may just remove the strainer from the receptacle. A capsulecontaining tea material is placed into the capsule holder so that itrests on the protrusions on the inside of the sidewall and/or the baseof the capsule holder. The protrusions support the capsule andpreferably also locate it in the correct position.

The capsule holder is then replaced on the support. Next the user raisesthe support, for example by pressing a button on the device whichactivates an actuator. The capsule holder travels vertically upwardsuntil it connects with the infusion chamber, and forms a water-tightseal. In an alternative embodiment, the infusion chamber could move downtowards the capsule holder.

In the context of the present invention, ‘connecting the upper rim ofthe capsule holder to the bottom rim of the infusion chamber’ and ‘theupper rim is connected to the bottom rim of the infusion chamber’ shouldbe understood to mean that upper rim of the capsule holder and thebottom rim of the infusion chamber form a water-tight contact, so thatthe capsule holder and infusion chamber form a vessel in which thebrewing liquid can be held while brewing takes place. The capsule holderand infusion chamber may be connected by means of an intermediate membersuch as a gasket (for example a ring made of rubber or other compliantmaterial located on the upper rim of the capsule holder and/or thebottom rim of the infusion chamber) in order to provide a good seal. Theinfusion chamber and the capsule holder form a space for brewing whenconnected. Preferably the volume of the space for brewing is at least75%, more preferably at least 90% of the volume of the final beverage.

The device may have means for recognizing a capsule and/or readinginformation from a code associated with the capsule or the capsuleholder. Different codes may be associated with different types of tea(e.g. green tea, black tea, herbal tea etc.). This allows the capsule tobe recognized by the device, so that the device can automatically setthe parameters for the brewing operation, such as the brewing time,water temperature etc. It also allows the device to be programmed sothat it only operates if the correct type of capsule is present. Thus avalid code signifies that an expected type of capsule is present, and aninvalid code signifies an unexpected type of capsule, a capsule that hasalready been used or that no capsule is present. The recognition systemcan be of any suitable type, such as mechanical interlocking between thecapsule and the capsule holder; optical recognition (e.g. by means ofcolour, fluorescence or bar code), electrical, magnetic, radio-frequencyidentification (RFID) chip etc.

Optionally, the device may also have means for allowing the user toadjust the parameters of the brewing operation, such as the brewingtime, the receptacle size etc. The means may suitably consist of buttonsor other inputs on the device, together with a control system.

The lid of the capsule needs to be opened or removed in order to releasethe tea material. Preferably the lid is opened automatically by thedevice after the capsule has been inserted into the capsule holder, e.g.as the upper rim of the capsule holder is connected to the bottom rim ofthe infusion chamber. Preferably, two openings are made in the lid, oneto introduce liquid into the capsule and the other to release liquid andtea material into the infusion chamber. However, because the capsuledoes not have a filter, there is no need to puncture or otherwise makean opening in the base of the capsule.

In a preferred embodiment, shown in FIG. 9, the lid is opened by pushingit against one or more static opening members when the capsule holdertravels upwards to connect with the bottom rim of the infusion chamber.The lid 32 is pushed against a static opening member 40 located on theinfusion chamber manifold 16. The function of the member is to create anopening in the lid in order to release liquid and tea material. This canbe achieved by a member with a sharp edge which cuts or punctures thelid. Alternatively, the lid may have pre-formed weaknesses, such asperforations 34 which reduce the force required to open it. In thiscase, the member 40 can be blunt, for example a wire. Preferably themember is angled or has a sloped part 41 so that as it moves into thecapsule, the flap formed by opening the lid is pushed away from theopening and held out of the way whilst the tea material is released fromthe capsule,

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 9, a second opening forintroducing liquid into the capsule is made by pushing the lid against astatic needle 42 consisting of a tube with a pointed end. The needle 42pierces the lid. Water is then pumped from the reservoir to the heater,which is preferably a flow-though heater. The resulting hot water (andoptionally steam) is then pumped to the capsule and enters it throughthe needle. The influx of hot water pushes the tea material out from thecapsule through the opening made by the opening member 40 and into theinfusion chamber 10.

The heater and pump are controlled so that the target brew temperature(which is typically in the range 80° C. to 95° C.) is achieved in theinfusion chamber. Typically the water flow rate is in the range of 200to 400 ml/min, and the volume of water is 150 to 300 ml, depending onthe desired size of the beverage.

Preferably the infusion chamber 10 is made of transparent material suchas glass, or transparent plastic, so that the user can see the motion ofthe tea material (such as tea leaves) whilst the beverage is brewing.Most preferably, the infusion chamber is made of Tritan™ copolyesterbecause this material is transparent and has been found to have goodresistance to staining. Air may be pumped into the capsule holder 20(e.g. via the static needle) or directly into the infusion chamber 10 tocreate bubbles in the water and thereby agitate the tea material. Thisnot only enhances the visual appearance, but also aids infusion andhelps to prevent the tea material from sticking to the sides of theinfusion chamber. Moreover, the introduction of air releases aroma whichcan optionally be vented via a tube, which for example, has an outletnear to the dispensing spout or near the top of the infusion chamber,thereby providing the user with the aroma of tea during brewing. Thebrewing time, which typically ranges from 10 to 120 seconds, ispreferably set by user input and/or information read from the capsule.

Once brewing has taken place for the required time, the drain valve 21located in the base of the capsule holder 20 is opened, allowing thebeverage to drain from the infusion chamber. Preferably the opening ofthe drain valve is controlled automatically by the machine. The beverageflows from the infusion chamber through the filter 25 located in thecapsule holder below the capsule, through the passage 29, and finallyinto a cup 9 which the user has already placed onto the tray 8. Teamaterial is prevented from entering the cup 9 by the filter 25.

Optionally, there may be a dispensing spout 7 positioned beneath thecapsule holder as shown in FIG. 1, so that the beverage is dispensedthrough the drain valve and out through the spout. Thus, instead ofbeing dispensed vertically downwards into the receptacle, the beveragefollows an arc, similar to that of tea poured from the spout of a teapot. This enhances the “theatre” provided by the machine for the user,and also emphasizes the “tea-ness” of the beverage, as distinct fromcoffee making machines.

After the beverage has been dispensed, the spent tea material may berinsed from the wall of the brew chamber with further hot water.Preferably the rinsing water is introduced through rotating rinse jets18 located near the top of the infusion chamber. Better rinsing isachieved by rotating rinse jets than static ones. In a preferredembodiment, rinsing takes place immediately after the beverage has beendispensed, and the rinse water is also dispensed into the receptacle andbecomes part of the beverage. This removes the need for separatedisposal of the rinse water. In this case, the rinse water providesaround 15-30% of the total volume of the beverage, e.g. the volume ofrinse water used is around 50 ml.

Finally, after the beverage has been dispensed, the capsule holder islowered, preferably automatically, or alternatively by the user, forexample by activating a button. The user then removes the capsule holderfrom the support, using the handle 22, or in the second embodiment ofthe capsule holder shown in FIG. 6 the user may just remove the strainerfrom the receptacle. The used capsule and spent tea leaves are thendisposed of, and the capsule holder can be rinsed. Since the capsuleholder is removable from the brewing device, it is easy to clean. Thecapsule holder is then returned to the support, ready for the next use.

The device can be cleaned, for example by running a rinse cycle with notea material or by running a cycle with a cleaning material, for examplesodium percarbonate. The cleaning material can be provided in a capsule,or alternatively as a tablet which is simply placed in the capsuleholder.

The various features of the embodiments of the present inventionreferred to in individual sections above apply, as appropriate, to othersections mutatis mutandis. Consequently features specified in onesection may be combined with features specified in other sections asappropriate. Various modifications of the described modes for carryingout the invention which are apparent to those skilled in the relevantfields are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.

1. A method of preparing a tea-based beverage in a brewing device (1),the device comprising: an infusion chamber (10) with a bottom rim (12)which defines an opening; a capsule holder (20) for receiving a capsule(30) wherein said capsule (30) does not contain a filter, the capsuleholder comprising a sidewall (24) having an upper rim (23), a filter(25) and an openable and closable passage (29) on the opposite side ofthe filter from the upper rim; wherein the capsule holder comprises aseparable receptacle (70) and a strainer (72) in which the filter (25)is situated the method comprising the steps of: a) inserting a capsule(30) containing tea material into the capsule holder (20); b) connectingthe upper rim (23) of the capsule holder (20) to the bottom rim (12) ofthe infusion chamber (10); c) releasing the tea material from thecapsule so that the liquid and tea material mix and flow into theinfusion chamber (10) so as to brew the beverage in water at atemperature of about 80° C. to about 95° C.; d) after brewing has takenplace, opening the passage (29) in the capsule holder (20) to allow thebeverage to flow from the infusion chamber (10) through the filter (25)and out through the passage.
 2. (canceled)
 3. A method according toclaim 1 wherein the capsule has one opening to release liquid and teamaterial into the infusion chamber.
 4. A method according to claim 3wherein the openings is made as the upper rim of the capsule holder isconnected to the bottom rim of the infusion chamber, wherein: theopening to release tea material is made by pushing the lid against anopening member (40).
 5. A brewing device (1) comprising an infusionchamber (10) with a bottom rim (12) which defines an opening; a capsuleholder (20) for receiving a capsule (30) wherein said capsule (30) doesnot contain a filter, the capsule holder comprising a sidewall (24)having an upper rim (23), a filter (25) and an openable and closablepassage (29) on the opposite side of the filter from the upper rim;wherein the capsule holder comprises a separable receptacle (70) and astrainer (72) in which the filter (25) is situated; means for moving thecapsule holder and/or the infusion chamber so that the upper rim (23) ofthe capsule holder is connected to the bottom rim (12) of the infusionchamber; a static needle(42); a valve (21) for opening the passage inthe capsule holder to allow the beverage to flow from the infusionchamber through the filter and out through the passage. 6.-19.(canceled)